Happy Birthday
by LoneeWolf
Summary: This oneshot is dedicated to LadyDiamond92. This is your birthday gift!


A bluennete sat on the bridge that crossed the river. Her head was down, her eyes half-closed, her bangs covered her face and her mouth was turned down into a frown. If you tapped her shoulder and asked her what was going on, she would have just smiled and laughed, saying that everything was perfectly fine. Then she would throw one of her clever remarks and walk away, pretending that she had an appointment to which she couldn't miss.

Only to find another place to be alone once more.

But let's start from the beginning. I'm positive you wish to know what the hell I am rambling all about.

She had always been a carefree little girl. Her grandfather was the leader of the small outdated village she lived in and she could pretty much get away with anything. As long as the evidence never pointed back to her. Her 'papa' as she would call her grandfather, was a very severe and strict man. And her, being the rules-hater she had always been, found completely normal to clash and butt heads with her 'papa' the whole time.

She knew he hadn't been like that always. He used to be a happy man. Maybe a little sad and angered that his precious and adored wife passed away on his daughter's birth, but the joy of having a happy and healthy child in the world was enough to keep him satisfied. His daughter was beautiful. She had her mother's jade green eyes, but his black hair. She was perfect.

She had a daughter of her own, to which she called Mariam, her mother's name. The leader couldn't be happier; the baby girl was a perfect image of her grandmother. Jade green eyes and blue hair. They were a happy family… Until tragedy stroke. The leader's daughter and her husband passed away during an invasion to the village by their most powerful enemy, the village that ruled the South Mountains. And they left him to bury his daughter and her husband AND a baby girl in his arms, no other than Mariam herself.

Mariam grew happy, but in the arms of a cold and severe grandfather. Maybe because she looked so much like her grandmother? Or maybe because she symbolized the sacrifice her daughter had made to save her? She didn't know. What she knew for sure was that, once she heard the story, she was more willing to forgive her 'papa' for the cold shoulder he had always given to her.

But that was not what saddened her in the moment. It was the simple fact that _he_ forgot about her.

He, with his black and red hair. He, with his piercing cold green eyes. He, with his tanned and muscular frame. He, with his demanding and strict behavior. He, with the personality of a leader, but with the charms of a player. He, with the hots for the princess of the South Mountains (at least, that was what he had said to her). He, whom she had the hots for.

She hated him. She couldn't help it. Maybe it was because he was always bossing her around, even though she had more than enough power to hang him by the neck. Or maybe it was because he was her team's leader and she didn't like to follow orders. But she couldn't help to fall in love with him too.

Because he was sweet to her. Whenever he pushed the line, he would always go and apologize to her. (always in private, his pride could never take such blow) Whenever he knew she was hurt, he would always make a fuss about it and demand her to let him take care of her, claiming that he didn't want her grandfather to find out about it (he would always blush when he bandaged her up, though). Because there were those rare moments when he would turn to her, caress her face and lean in, taking her in his arms and hug her.

But he had crossed the line that day, and didn't even realize. And when she tried to explain it to him, he just claimed that she was doing a fuss over nothing. And she slapped him. He knew she hated when he would stand out that she was weak just because she was a _girl_. And she ran away. Away from him, away from the village, away from her world.

She didn't know where she was going. But she found herself in that bridge, the very same bridge where her father had proposed to her mother. Where he first admitted his feelings for her. Where he first kissed her. And Mariam found herself wishing she could feel some, even if it was just a tiny little bit, of the love they felt for each other. She would do anything to feel it.

Love wasn't the reason why she was there, alone. Well, maybe it was one of the reasons. But the simple fact that he forgot and she knew that he knew how much the date meant to him… Was overwhelming. In a negative way. She felt the tears pricking into her eyes. She knew she wasn't supposed to cry, nor she wanted to, but they just fell. And she allowed them. Because there was nothing she could do. Except mourn over her loss, cry over her pain. Those tears needed to be shed. Those feelings needed to come out. That pain had to be released.

She sat on the edge of the bridge for god-knows how long. Her butt was starting to hurt from sitting on the hard and cold stone, but her body didn't want to move. It was still numb from all the tears and feelings let out. It was all out now, but her system needed time to get itself together again. To become the carefree girl she always was.

A branch broke. Mariam heard it, but chose to ignore. There was no way that anyone could ever find her there. No one knew about that place. Only her deceased parents and herself. Maybe her adoptive brother, but that was different. She was sure that he knew what was going on with her. So she was certain about her statement. No one knew where…

"There you are."

Mariam looked to her side to find the last person she wanted to see at the moment. _Him_. She got up and jumped to her feet, beginning to walk away again, but a hand grabbed her arm and kept her from doing so. She looked back to see his determined gaze, but quickly looked away again. She couldn't face him, not just yet. And she felt herself breaking inside again.

"Why are you ignoring me?" he asked again, his firm and deep voice echoing through the forest.

"Go declare your love for the South Mountains princess, Ozuma. Or whatever that can cross your mind to get you off my back."

"What are you talking about? Do you have any idea how worried everyone is? They think someone took you!"

"Well, I wish they would have. But I think my bitchy personality is the repulsive side of me. Too bad. I'm sure I'd make a great slave." She declared sarcastically.

"What is wrong with you?!" he asked, angry "Do you know what they would do to you?!"

"And you do?!" she called back.

"Yes, I do! Because I've been there before Mariam! I was one of them! I do know what they do to pretty-faced girls like yourself!"

"So that's what you think I am? A pretty-faced girl?! Am I nothing other than that to you, Ozuma?!"

"I never said that! And besides, who could possibly think that you're pretty?! I'm just quoting the word around the guys from the village!" he tried to escape.

"Oh, now this is what this is?! You came here to insult me and keep the negative thoughts in my head?!" she exclaimed, hurt.

"N-no!" he let out. Taking a deep breath, he continued "You're getting me wrong, Mariam. Of course I think you're cute. You ARE. It's just… It's confusing and worrying that you go around and yell those kind of things out to the winds… It scares me of what might happen to you."

"You don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself." She said, turning away from him.

"Mariam… Please come back. Come with me. We'll tell your grandfather you just got lost in the woods." He tried.

"He will never believe. He knows that I know his territory better than himself." She contradicted.

"Mariam, stop making things hard." He sighed.

"I'm not making things hard, Ozuma! I'm making things realistic! As they really are!"

"Why do you have to be so stubborn? Stop trying to deny my help, god damnit! I can't believe you! How could I be so stupid into thinking that you'd go down easy if I just talked to you?!"

"Oh, I'm sorry that I'm not one of those stupid blondes that fall over your feet when you smile at them‼ Sorry that I'm not so easy to hit on as them! Sorry that I'm such an uptight bitch‼ Sorry that I don't let you fuck me like they let you‼ Sorry for having a little of personality that excludes me from the general 'fucking type' of girl‼"

"What the hell are you talking about?!" he yelled "Who told you that?!"

"So you admit it's true?" she asked, incredulous.

"N-no! Of course not!"

"Your blush says otherwise. I can't believe I thought you were different." She told him, shaking her arm away from his grip.

"What do you mean?" he asked, trying to look into her eyes, the same ones she was trying to conceal.

"I thought that you weren't like that. The kind of guy that, when he sees a sexy body connected to a pretty face, jumps on her like a wild man."

"Mariam…"

"But I guess I was wrong." She declared, turning away.

"Mariam, you weren't wrong. Please believe me." He tried, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"You're right. We should go. Papa must be worried by now." She tried, walking in the village's direction, but Ozuma stopped her once again.

"Tell me you believe me." He asked.

"Ozuma, Papa is going to be worried."

"Five more minutes won't kill him. Do you believe me?" he asked again.

"No." she replied. "I don't believe you. I don't believe you when you say you never took one of them to your home and had your way with her. I don't believe you when you say you never lusted after a woman that wasn't yours and made her such. But I do believe when you say that even through it all, you're in love with the Princess of the South Mountains."

"You're unbelievable."

"Why do you say that? Are you trying to confirm it?!"

"No! I'm telling you that you got it all wrong! I never took any girl home! I never had my any with any of them, even though some wanted me to! And you can be damn sure that I'm not in love with the Princess!"

"You said it yourself! You said that you were in love with the Princess‼" Mariam yelled.

"I said I was in love with **a** Princess! I didn't say I was in love with the South Mountain's Princess‼"

"She's the only princess you know, Ozuma! What the fuck do you mean by you're not in love with her?!" She replied. She could feel her control slipping away, but she didn't care at the moment. She needed to know.

"I'm not! She's not the only princess in the world‼"

"FINE! Then I can't wait to know who that damned princess is so that I can talk to her myself!"

"Why on earth would you want to talk to her?!"

"So that I can see the person that stole your heart from me‼" she shouted, her eyes closed and tears springing from them.

"W-what?" Ozuma asked, thunderstruck.

"You heard me right, Ozuma." Mariam declared, defeated "In fact, the whole forest did. I wanna face the girl that took you from me. I wanna see her and tell her, face to face, that I was the **REAL** one for you. And I want her to know that she stole you from me and I'm going to fight for you. I'm not giving up on you."

"Mariam…" he whispered, caressing her face with the tip of his fingers.

"It's okay, boss. I understand that you want to protect her identity. And I know that you're concerned about letting her know me, but I can assure you that I mean no harm for the woman and I will not lay a hand on…"

"It's you, Mariam."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me right. You can't steal back something that is already yours."

"What would I steal?" she asked, feeling his thumb clean her tears.

"My heart. You can't steal back something that is already yours."

"How can I own it? Your heart I mean."

"Because you are the Princess I am in love with." He declared, leaning in. Their faces stayed inches away from each other for a while, none daring to move. Mariam took a deep breath and asked:

"Why should I believe you?"

But Ozuma didn't answer. Not by words, at least. He eliminated the remains of space between them by pressing his lips against hers in a firm but soft kiss. None dared to move for a seconds. And when Mariam pulled back just to look into his eyes, noticing they were clouded by lust, love, passion and pleasure, she couldn't help but gasp when Ozuma pressed his lips against hers one more time, shoving his tongue inside her mouth.

Their dance was synchronized, hungry and lustful. None knew exactly what to do, but they knew what made them feel good. So they just followed their instincts. And it worked like hell. Her fingers entwined with his hair, his arms encircled her waist. Their mouths mixed and molded together like they belonged like that, drawing out gasps and groans of pleasure from the couple. Ozuma pulled Mariam up and sat her on the edge of the bridge, his hand flying under her skirt.

"Ozuma…" she whispered, feeling his lips attaching themselves to her neck.

"Yes, Mariam?"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to make you believe."

"Oh…" she moaned out "Ozuma… There is only one thing that you can do to make me believe in you."

"Anything. What is it?"

"What do you feel about me?"

"I love you. I know it's not enough, and it will never be enough, but there aren't enough words to describe what I feel about you." He paused in his actions, but kept his hands were they were, and so his mouth. "I want to thank you. If it wasn't for you, I'd be dead by now. By the hands of your village or the South Mountains. It doesn't matter. I will never forget the way you stood by me when your grandfather's decision was killing me. The way you insert me in your community, knowing perfectly well that I could be a spy. The way you believed in me, Mariam."

"And I'd do it all over again." She declared.

"I love you. I'm sorry for hurting you the way I do. I don't know how to act in another way. My old village's women weren't like your women. They were weak, depended on the men for everything. You're not like that. You fight for your own accomplishments. It's… Remarkable. And I adore it."

"Ozuma…" she whispered, kissing him again. "I love you too."

He smiled. A genuine smile. He pulled away from her only to grab her and settle her on the floor. He caressed her cheeks before leaning in. She was blushing, but he was sure he was embarrassed as well. She could feel his breath ticking her nose and giggled softly. She melted into his embrace, involving her in a sweet warmth.

"Hey Mariam?"

"Yes, Ozuma?" she asked, looking up to him.

"Happy birthday."

"Oh, Ozuma… You remembered…" she whispered, smiling and pulling him down for another kiss.

* * *

 **A/N: LadyDiamond92, this was my birthday present for you! I hope you like it and have a great day! I hope you enjoy and Lonee here sends you a MAJOR kiss! Happy birthday!**

 **LoneeWolf :)**


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